This report fulfils one of the goals of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless by providing decision-makers in developing countries with a basis on which to undertake reforms in the building materials sector. The focus is on indigenous building materials and wide application is provided so that the material goes beyond the homeless and considers current dwellings too. Constraints, strategies, and technical details are described with regards to adopting indigenous building materials. Annexes cover case studies from Asia and Africa.